What do you know of Bhai Mardana?
MARDÄ€NÄ€, BHĀĪ (1459-1534), GurÅ« NÄnak's long-time companion throughout his extensive journeys across the country and abroad, was born the son of a Muslim MirÄsÄ« (a caste of hereditary minstrels and genealogists) couple, BadrÄ and Lakkho, of TalvaṇdÄ« RÄi Bhoe, now NankÄá¹‡Ä SÄhib, in SheikhÅ«purÄ district of Pakistan. GurÅ« NÄnak and BhÄÄ« MardÄnÄ grew up in the same village. The MiharbÄn Janam SÄkhÄ« describes the latter, who was ten years senior in age, as the GurÅ«'s companion since his childhood days and as one who sang to him songs from Bhagat KabÄ«r, Bhagat Trilochan, Bhagat RavidÄs, Bhagat DhannÄ and Bhagat Beṇī. According to Ratan Siá¹…gh Bhaá¹…gÅ«, PrÄchÄ«n Panth PrakÄsh, GurÅ« NÄnak as a small boy gave BhÄÄ« MardÄnÄ a string instrument improvised from reeds to play on while he sang the hymns.
As GurÅ« NÄnak was employed to take charge of the granaries and stores of the NawÄb of SultÄnpur LodhÄ«, the stories of his generosity and hospitality spread far and wide. BhÄÄ« MardÄnÄ, already a married man and father of two sons and a daughter, wanted to visit SultÄnpur and seek his bounty. Meanwhile, he was charged by GurÅ« NÄnak's father MahitÄ KÄlÅ«, to go to SultÄnpur and bring news of the welfare of his son. BhÄÄ« MardÄnÄ went to SultÄnpur, never to part company with GurÅ« NÄnak again. His occupation was playing the rabÄb or rebeck as GurÅ« NÄnak recited God's glory.
According to BhÄÄ« ManÄ« Singh 'GyÄn RatnÄvalÄ«' and other Janam SÄkhÄ«s, BhÄÄ« MardÄnÄ received Charan-Pahul Amrit from GurÅ« NÄnak and was initiated into Sikhi. On receiving Amrit, GurÅ« NÄnak instructed him:
"Firstly, you are not to cut your hair.
Secondly, you are to get up early in the morning and do practice of the Sat NÄm (the True Name);
and, Thirdly, you are to serve hospitably the visiting devotees of God."
When GurÅ« NÄnak prepared to go forth into the world to preach his message, he invited BhÄÄ« MardÄnÄ to accompany him. BhÄÄ« MardÄnÄ hesitated, for he did not wish to leave his family until his daughter had been married off and for this he did not have sufficient means. One of GurÅ« NÄnak's disciples, BhÄÄ« BhagÄ«rath, bought the needed provisions and BhÄÄ« MardÄnÄ was able to give away his daughter in marriage. He was then ready to accompany GurÅ« NÄnak on his travels.
To relieve the rigour of the journeys, the biographers describe several humorous situations in which BhÄÄ« MardÄnÄ involved himself by his amiable faux pas. Weak in respect to fleshly wants, he became panicky when prospects of getting the next meal seemed less than certain. He was not easily convinced when GurÅ« NÄnak told him to be patient and have trust in something turning up, and wished always to be prepared beforehand with the rations. As the PurÄtan Janam SÄkhÄ« narrates, GurÅ« NÄnak and BhÄÄ« MardÄnÄ had not come out very far from SultÄnpur when the latter complained that he felt hungry and needed something to eat immediately. The GurÅ« pointed to the village they had passed and said that, if he went there, he would be well entertained by KhatrÄ«s of the Uppal caste who lived in that village. BhÄÄ« MardÄnÄ turned his foot-steps in that direction and, arriving in the village, he found everyone more than hospitable. He was fed sumptuously and given ample alms. As he saw him return loaded with a bundle, .GurÅ« NÄnak, says the Janam SÄkhÄ«, rolled on the ground laughing. BhÄÄ« MardÄnÄ realized the oddity of what he had done and did not know how to get rid of what he had collected. He threw the bundle when the GurÅ« pointed out to him that those articles would be more of a burden to him.
The janam sÄkhÄ«s also contain many anecdotes picturing BhÄÄ« MardÄnÄ in despair out of agonizing hunger or petrifying fear and GurÅ« NÄnak or Nature coming to succour him somewhat miraculously. Once the two were passing through a remote wilderness when suddenly a violent storm overtook them. So severe was the tempest that the trees of the jungle began to fly about. BhÄÄ« MardÄnÄ, trembling with fear, thus spoke to the GurÅ«, "True sovereign, thou hast brought me to my death in this forest. I shall not here get a shroud nor a grave." The GurÅ« asked him to remain calm, but BhÄÄ« MardÄnÄ moaned, "I have not faced a calamity like this in my life. What is going to befall my poor soul today?" Then fire broke out. Smoke was all over and the blaze on all four sides. BhÄÄ« MardÄnÄ covered up his face and laid himself down on the ground saying, "Farewell, life." Then came water. Thick clouds gathered and poured water in torrents. "Raise thy head, MardÄnÄ, " spoke the GurÅ«, "and take thy rebeck." BhÄÄ« MardÄnÄ tuned the strings and GurÅ« NÄnak sang: "If the fear of God is in the heart, all other fear is dispelled..."
According to PurÄtan Janam SÄkhÄ«, BhÄÄ« MardÄnÄ and his Master were taken prisoner by the Mughals at Saidpur. The GurÅ« was given a load to carry on his head and BhÄÄ« MardÄnÄ to lead a horse holding its rein. MÄ«r KhÄn, the Mughal commander, saw that the GurÅ«'s bundle was floating a cubit above his head and BhÄÄ« MardÄnÄ's horse was following him without the reins. He reported the miracle to SultÄn BÄbar, who remarked, "Had there been such faqÄ«rs here, the town should not have been struck." MÄ«r KhÄn asked him to see for himself.
In 1534, at KartÄrpur, BhÄÄ« MardÄnÄ fell ill. He grew weak and hope of recovery was lost. Born of a Muslim family, he had attached himself to GurÅ« NÄnak and had become initiated into the Sikh faith. The GurÅ« asked him how he wished his body to be disposed of. BhÄÄ« MardÄnÄ replied that by the GurÅ«'s instruction he had overcome his pride of the body. What remained of him after death, he said, be disposed of as the GurÅ« wished. Then the GurÅ« said. "Shall I make thee a tomb to render thee famous in the world?" "When the GurÅ« is releasing me from the bodily sepulchre, why should he entomb me in stone?" answered BhÄÄ« MardÄnÄ. The GurÅ« asked him to fix his mind on the Creator. The following morning, at a watch before day, BhÄÄ« MardÄnÄ passed away. The GurÅ« consigned his body to the River RÄvÄ«, and caused hymns sung and kaá¹›Äh prashÄd, the sacrament, distributed among the Sikhs. He consoled BhÄÄ« MardÄnÄ's son ShahzÄdÄ, and other members of his family and asked them not to weep for him who had returned to his heavenly home.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. ÅšabadÄrth SrÄ« GurÅ« Granth SÄhib. Amritsar, 1969
2. VÄ«r Siá¹…gh, BhÄÄ«, ed., PurÄtan Janam SÄkhÄ«. Amritsar, 1982
3. KirpÄl Siá¹…gh, ed., Janam SÄkhÄ« ParamparÄ. Patiala, 1969
4. GiÄn Siá¹…gh, GiÄnÄ«, Panth PrakÄsh [Reprint]. Patiala, 1970
5. SatbÄ«r Siá¹…gh, PurÄtan ItihÄsik JÄ«vanÄ«Äá¹….Jalandhar, 1969
6. Harbans Singh, Gurū Nanak and Origins of the Sikh Faith. Bombay, 1969
7. McLeod, W.H., Guru Nanak and the Sikh. Religion Oxford, 1968